


between | the lines

by inabsolutes



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: F/M, Mutually Unrequited, Other, Unrequited Love, Unresolved Emotional Tension, and i'm so sorry, surprise, word vomit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-06 15:00:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8757193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inabsolutes/pseuds/inabsolutes
Summary: because maybe in the end, some things are better left unsaid. onesided female! reader mc x professor kukui





	1. hello; goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> author's note: sun/moon mc is aged up during the main story for the sake of this fanfic to her late teens/early 20s, because honestly who leaves an 11 year old to save the world from an deranged maybe universe ending abomination? 
> 
> geez, game freak….

after defeating the elite four and becoming the league champion, you find yourself longing for your old home.

a place where all the towns are dyed different colors like cerulean, vermillion, and saffron. a place where the trainers don't all know each other, and the feeling of accomplishment from defeating a pokémon gym that you had wanted ever since you were a little girl. 

you can't help it, but-

you long for your father, and his wide, happy smile, and his big hugs that scoop you up. you think of your father, his grave untended, all alone. 

you long for those new experiences, new challenges, that await you in your old home.

_but is it just your father? can the pounding in your chest really just explained as wanderlust?_

maybe-  
maybe that isn't exactly the whole truth.

your mother refuses to go back with you: maybe the hurt of your father's death is still fresh in her mind, or not. 

“i can't stop you from going back to kanto,” your mother says softly, “but please remember that our home is alola, now. you can always return here. 

she stirs her mug of alolan coffee. "did you tell everyone that you're leaving? i know the professor is more busy nowadays, so you should tell him in advance so he knows."

"professor kukui knows," you say. 

you had left a message on his answering machine when you knew he was out doing research, so you wouldn't have to see him when you left.

the truth is:

you long for a place without that man's warm smile, and the feelings that you have that twist in you like a knife. 

your mother nods and takes a sip from the mug. "just making sure, honey."

but the whole truth is more painful to admit.

* * *

 

the night of your departure, a small group of your friends and loved ones had organized at the harbor to see you off. 

"....is something wrong?" hau asks you. 

you become aware that you have spent the last several minutes scanning the crowd of people, hoping to catch sight of kukui's tanned, handsome figure, and hate yourself for it.

"no, it's nothing. thank you all for coming!" you say. 

"come b-back soon!" lillie takes your hands in hers. her normally clear, pretty green eyes are tinged with red. "we'll all miss you!"

  
"but don't think that i'll just hand over your title when you return,” gladion crosses his arms across his skinny chest. his lower lip is stuck out in a slight pout. “you'll have to battle me for it if you want it back!”

you also cross your arms, in a teasing parody of his own stiff, awkward pose. “okay, then, i’ll have TWO titles when i get back!”

the blonde boy sputters and hides his chin in his comically oversized shirt.

hau chimes in with, “hoo, don't forget about us! you know me and my raichu are down to battle whenever, right? we’ll be getting stronger and stronger, so when you come back, we’ll be ready!”

when you come back.  
that's...                              

....probably a long way off from now.

as you take in your surroundings, from the signs for the water ferry that would take you to the airport, to the streetlights illuminating the pier that stretches out in front of you-

you realize that this is goodbye for a long time, and hurt a little bit more.

you thank them, pick up your suitcases, and just as you prepare to head down the pier- someone places a hand on your shoulder, and you hear a familiar voice. “hey, can't be saying all your goodbyes just yet, can you?”

you turn your head up to see professor kukui, lab coat crumpled, hat slightly askew on his head. 

“professor, you made it?!” hau says in disbelief.

“that’s w-wonderful!” lillie looks like she might start crying again, and her brother has to console her. gladion then nods his head. “yeah, just in the nick of time, too.”

he looks down at you, and lifts up his bottle-green glasses. “i figured that since i started you on your journey, i should be the one to see you off, yeah? one last hurrah.”

as much as you argue, and hem and haw with him, _no, it's fine, don't worry-_ the next thing you know, he’s taken two of your suitcases and is walking you down the pier.

you keep your eyes fixed to the wooden boards that make up the boardwalk, and count each of the planks as you walk, one, two, three, one, two, three.

"wish you would've called me again before you left. had to find out from your mom that you were leaving." you look up at him, and notice his forehead is beaded with sweat. “afraid i wasn't gonna make it, too…..”

you apologize, and it feels like an eternity, but eventually the both of you get to the entrance of the ferry. kukui then bends over and puts his hands on his thighs, winded. 

"so, uh," after he stands up, kukui clears his throat, and shifts his weight from one foot to the other. "do you have anything to say to me? kinda missed out on the whole saying goodbye thing earlier."

professor burnet smiles and waves from the dock, where your friends now stand as well.  
her striking figure is lovely, even from this distance.

 _who's sake would you confess for, anyway?_  
  
"thank you….”

_it's not like anything would change._

“…...for being there for me. and helping to make me a better trainer. i couldn't have become the champion. or disbanded team skull or defeated lusamine without you and all of my friends supporting me."

kukui laughs a little. “the funny thing is, cousin, you did most of that by yourself.” he scratches the back of his head where his hat and hair meet. “....come to think of it, i didn't really need to help you much, did i?"

"you did," you say, "even if you don't think so."

he laughs again and says, "haha, okay, okay, i'll take your word for it. is that it?"

the light from the street lamps glint off of the silver ring he always wears on his left hand.

"yeah," you smile widely, and your voice cracks a bit at the edges. "....that's it. did you expect some big speech?”

after a brief pause, kukui shakes his head. "....naw, didn't figure you to be the type."

“ _alola_  then, cousin,” he says, and pulls you into a brief hug. "kanto's lucky to have you."

confused, you cock your head to one side and ask: "thank you, but, ' _alola'?_ why not ' _e hui hou_ '?"

kukui grins broadly, and it is like staring into the sun, it hurts so much. "always with the questions, huh? glad you asked! sure, _'e hui hou'_ means goodbye. but ' _alola'_ can mean both hello and goodbye. so it's like, uh...saying goodbye, but with the expectation that I'll see you again."

he then waves his right hand flippantly. "....something like that, yeah?"

you say nothing, lost in wordless thought.

"hey, cousin - what i’m trying to say is,”  
kukui smiles at you a little wistfully. "don’t be a stranger. okay?"

"....."

“okay, i got it.”

a foghorn blows, signaling the five minute warning from the time the ship was due to depart. you look at the ship, and then back at him, and your feet are rooted to the spot between going and staying.

_for your sake-_

“would you look at that, i’m going to make you miss your boat to the airport,” kukui laughs. “get going, yeah?”

you nod, and as you begin to walk onto the boat-

_for your OWN sake, now-_

you turn back, and yell at his retreating figure. "professor kukui!"

"yeah?" he turns around and shouts.

_so that you can save yourself, not gladion or lillie or lusamine or guzma or alola, for ONCE-_

you hope kukui doesn't notice the strain in your voice or the tears beginning to form in your eyes. “thank you again!"

he places his right hand on his hip and raises his left hand in a _shaka_ gesture. "no problem!"

_perhaps, just let it be._

you quickly climb up to the ship’s second floor, look over the balcony and are greeted by a crowd of familiar, smiling faces. 

familiar words rise to the top of your head like bubbles from the top of a good cup of coffee, or like seafoam from the highest peak of a wave.

_"but you know...."_

_"when you're saying goodbye to someone you love, you've got to show them one last smile."_

as you hear their collective shouts and farewells, you find yourself grinning and frantically waving at your friends.

they shout back:

"goodbye!"  
"g'bye!"  
"alola!"  
"e hui hou!"

when the ship leaves the harbor, you become aware of a salty, heavy taste in your mouth, and realize that you have been crying the entire time.

but you think-

maybe, just maybe....

….maybe, in time, the memory of you loving him will leave you, and you will be free.

until then, you’ll begin to pray for the day where you can finally think so.

 

 

>  


	2. the great untruth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the few times where he wonders what his life would be like if only you and him had met earlier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> damn it game freak, taking my plots and shit. uhhh, just pretend that instead of lillie leaving alola at the end of sun/moon, you leave instead. or you leave after she comes back. whatever works for you, myaaaan
> 
> this is probably the last chapter in this work.

* * *

        in retrospect, maybe he should've seen the day of your departure coming. you had always been the type to keep moving, always searching for new experiences, new people. maybe it was stupid to expect you'd be satisfied with being the champion of this tiny little region where everyone knows everyone, where they didn't even have gym leaders…

  
       but it hurt, maybe knowing that you wanted something more than he was able to give.

  
_wouldn't you have left, if it were you? didn't you leave alola for kanto a long time ago? can you really blame her?_

  
       those thoughts, however, didn't stop the shock from appearing on his face when your mother informed him helpfully that you would be leaving for kanto on the same day he had gone to visit you.

  
       "my daughter didn't tell you? that's so strange. she told me that you knew...." your mom had told him. the older woman then looked up and away from his face, troubled. "....i suppose everyone deals with their pain in their own way."

  
       "what?" he asked. "mom, is everything okay?"

  
       "oh? yes, of course, professor kukui!" the older woman said, taken aback. "she probably didn't want to inconvenience you. you're so busy nowadays, aren't you? weren't you planning to start a family? you're been with professor burnet for quite a while now, what is it, four years....?"

  
       "haha, well, it's nothing like that with burnet, yet." he scratched the back of his head. "i mean, we're just busy with work, all the time, work, work, work. you know?"

  
        your mother, however, looked hardly convinced. she then folded her arms across her chest. "i see. you know, family is the most important. don't get so absorbed in your work and neglect her!"

  
       "ha-ha, i won't, mom." he said. "but the truth is, we're both workaholics."

  
       "there's no cure for that, is there? my husband was like that too- always so absorbed in his pokemon training," she sighed. "well, my daughter left about an hour ago for the melemele ferry to the airport," her mother then pointed out. "If you want to catch her, you'll have to run!"

 

* * *

 

          kukui sprinted to the melemele city marina from his lab, dragging his wife and his rockruff on his tauros with him. when he caught sight of a gaggle of people surrounding a familiar young woman, he ran to them as fast as his legs could take him. his students greeted him with happy shouts and cheers, but you just seemed shocked that he came.

  
         he can't help but be a little offended by the disbelief present all over your face. did you really think he'd be a no-show, that he wouldn't show up to tell his best student goodbye before they took off-?

  
         a dangerous thought came into into his head.

  
         did...

  
         did you not want him to come?

  
         he shook his head, that wasn't possible.

  
         ....right?

  
         then he cracked a joke, tries to lighten the mood a little. "woo! these are kinda heavy, cousin. you don't pack light, huh?"

  
         you said, your eyes still fixated on the ground, "it's okay. don't worry about carrying my bags, professor. i'm...planning on taking a long trip."  
     

        "nah, it's cool, cuz," he waved your concern off and hoists up your (rather heavy) luggage. "you'd take forever to get to the ferry, lugging these guys around. nothing wrong with having a little muscle around to help ya out, right?"

  
          as the two of you walked down the pier, you don't make much eye contact with him, and kukui kept wondering if he did something wrong.

  
          women, huh?  
          burnet'll freeze me out sometimes, but never like this....

  
          eventually, the silence gets to be too much for him, and he asked you when you get to the end of the dock, "so, did you have anything to say to me? kind of missed the whole saying goodbye thing earlier...."

  
          the young woman responded after some hesitation, that she wanted to thank him for all the things he had done for her-despite the fact that most of the things you had listed you had done mostly by yourself.

  
          "that it?" he asked.

  
          "yeah," you smiled widely, your voice cracked as you nod. "....that's it!" the sadness in your voice made his heart hurt as it pounded in his chest.

  
           confusingly enough, he couldn't help but be disappointed.

  
            _what had you expected, man? you're a taken guy- don't get things twisted. don't you love your family? why do you wanna mess things up for yourself? you'd hurt burnet like that?_

  
           he hugged you briefly, and sent you off.

  
           "professor kukui!" he heard you yell from behind him, and he turned around almost instantly.

  
           "yeah?" he yelled, his heart jumped into his throat.

  
            your eyes were watery and red. "thank you again!"

  
            he smiled-why'd he get his hopes up?- and rose his hand in a _shaka_  gesture. "no problem!"

  
            after waving goodbye to you, he made his way back to the dock where his wife and his other students are waiting. burnet smiled at her husband, and he kissed her on the mouth.

            _'i love you.'_

            but as he watched the ship leave the harbor, something twisted inside him, an inescapable feeling of longing and regret.

 

* * *

 

            occasionally while keeping himself busy with research in melemele, kukui can hear the cries of tapu koko from his laboratory, and it brings to mind memories of when he first met the island guardian's champion.

  
            a few months ago, the professor had heard that a family from the kanto region would be moving to alola, melemele island specifically in a few weeks. the father had apparently been a famous pokemon trainer and had a kid that was interested in battling as well.

  
            kukui made sure to call in the early morning, so he could introduce himself to someone in the household. an older woman picked up, her face was forlorn and troubled. her hair was tied carelessly in an unkempt ponytail. "hey, it's professor kukui. i was wondering if this was the family that was planning to move to alola in a few weeks time?"

  
           "yes, this is the one." contrary to her now cheerful expression, her voice sounded tired and worn. "what can i do for you, professor?"

  
           "just wanted to see if i could talk to your kid before you guys flew over," kukui said. "she was the one who was gonna go on the island challenge, right? thought i'd introduce myself."

  
           she rubs her temples and closes her eyes. "that's correct.... but i don't know if now is the best time, professor."

  
           "ah, call me kukui. it's fine," he says. "is everything okay? i can call back."

  
           "no, it's all right. i guess there will never be a good time, will there? i just want her to cheer up...." the older woman sighed, and looks away from his face. "i keep telling her that we're going to live in the alola region, now. the beautiful islands everyone wants to visit! her father....he would have been so happy for us to make the trip."

  
           "wait, your husband's-?"

  
           she grimaced. "ah, i'm sorry. i suppose the news hasn't traveled as far as alola yet. yes, my husband...he passed away a couple of weeks ago. we made the decision to move after he passed away- he had always wanted to go to alola, but he never got the chance."

  
          "damn, i'm sorry." the swear just found its way out of his mouth, and kukui immediately apologized. "sorry. i'm usually better about that. my condolences."

  
          "it's all right, professor." the woman smiled slightly. "my daughter- she was very close to her father. you can talk to her, but be gentle, all right?"  

          he nodded and said, ".....all right, i'll take it easy on her. don't worry, mom.

          "all right, i'll patch you through to her." the older woman said, and called out for her daughter.

  
          "hang on now. gimme just a sec...." kukui fiddled with the camera attached to his pokedex; he really needed to invest in some better equipment. he then waved at the camera. "hey, there! good afternoon!"

  
           he's met face to face with a kinda pretty young woman, who, to his disbelief, couldn't be any younger than 16 years old. you peered into the pokedex, and leaned your head to one side, confused. "hello?"

_  
wh-what the....? mom said she had a kid, right? i thought she'd be like 11 or something. woo, time flies, huh?_

  
           "hey, cousin! so the day's finally come that you're moving to alola!" he tried to make small talk with you, to little avail. the young woman was surprisingly close-mouthed and distant, and downright unresponsive to many of the statements he made that would've raised questions from any other trainer.        

_yikes, what a tough crowd....can't really blame her, though. it's gotta be tough to lose your dad and then move to a new place so quick._

  
           just about when kukui thought that talking to a brick wall or a boldore would be more productive than the current conversation he was having, his rockruff leapt onto his lap and began to bark and paw at his coat playfully.

  
           kukui shot a glare at his pokemon, but he couldn't help but smile at his pup's antics. "rockruff! can you wait til i'm done talking to play?"  
he looked back into the camera, to see the corners of your eyes crinkle up, and then...

  
           ....you cracked a smile and began to laugh a little. your shoulders gently bounced up and down. kukui breathed out, relieved. at least you had a sense of humor. he could work with that.

  
           after all, molayne and burnet were always telling him how hilarious his jokes were, so it was worth a shot.

  
           "all right, I gotta ask you some questions about yourself so i can introduce you to everybody! so, which photo should i use for your trainer passport?"

  
           she pointed out one that looked close enough(but not quite right) to her portrait, and he nodded. you then tell him your name, and he's surprised- it's a nice, strong sounding name.

  
           kukui then said- well, more like shouted-your name. "yeah, that's a name that hits you like a thunderbolt outta the sky! woo!"

  
           he told you that he would let everyone out here know you're on your way to the islands, and he signed off. as kukui sat in his lab, he thought somewhat hopefully, that maybe you wouldn't be as hard to get to as he previously imagined.

 

* * *

  
          you first confided in him during your bus ride up mount hokulani, which would take you to the electric type trial in the hokulani observatory. kukui had noticed that you were progressing rather swiftly through the island challenge, but figured it wouldn't hurt to join you for a bit. he had to admit, he was a little curious about how your journey had gone so far.

  
           after making a little small talk on the bus about how your trials had gone, the subject had turned to the subject of family. his was kind of boring- single child, got married a couple of years ago, had a couple of friends, folks were six feet under.

  
           you listened intently to him, and then you said, "i wish i could build a time machine," he watched you flip a colorful hourglass-shaped bottle of sand (probably purchased from heahea city) back and forth in your lap. the bus ride (courtesy of exeggutor express) to the hokulani observatory was bumpy, and embarrassingly enough, was turning out to be not as quick as he had made it out to be.

  
           “kind of a funny thing to say, cousin.” kukui laughed. "but don't we all? i know there's tons of things i'd do differently if i could go back in time." he shot a glance at you, and saw you fidgeting with the bottle of sand in your lap, a melancholy expression cast on your face.

  
           "i went to the hao'uli cemetery," you murmured quietly. "people say that almost everyone who's lived in and died in alola is buried there." something told him that what you were going to say is important, so he said nothing and let you continue. "if me and my mom stay here, we'd be buried there, right? but my dad-he's resting in kanto. if i had done something, if i hadn't been so helpless, maybe he'd be here with us now."

  
           kukui rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and realized why you and lillie had gotten so well along together. "you wanna know what i think? i think your dad would've wanted you to not get hung up on your thoughts of what could've been."

  
           he smiled at you and closed his eyes. "i also….think your dad'd be proud of where you are today."

  
           you asked, "you really think so?"

  
           kukui nodded and said, "yeah, i think so. you've come so far already, see? lots of people don’t even attempt the island challenge, or give up when they’ve just started after one setback. but you didn't, did you?”

  
           “my dad….” you spoke deliberately and slowly, like the words were something precious, and had to be kept close. “he always told me that i was so strong, that i could do anything if i just believed in myself. maybe i’m strong now, but- when he died, i felt like i died, too. if something like that happens again...what's going to stop me from becoming that weak person again?”

  
          after your conversation, it was quiet. he watched the scenery blur outside the window as the bus chugged up the steep incline along the mountain. digesting the words you had said, he thought and thought, and leaned his elbow against the windowpane of the bus.

  
          "....the way I see it: you can dislike who you were in the past," kukui said, finally. "but there's no telling who you'll become in the future. so you have to be on your own side- means you can't keep beating yourself up."

  
          he turned his head to see if you had paid attention, only to lay eyes on your gently bobbing head, peacefully resting on his shoulder.

  
          kukui couldn't help but laugh a little at the sight. "lecture put you to sleep, huh?"

_of course she would have been exhausted, coming all this way....._

          he let your head stay there, for just a little while, and combed the stray hairs that had fallen onto your face.                

          almost as if someone had flipped a switch, when the bus driver announced their arrival at the mount hokulani observatory, his trance was broken.

  
         "i'll wait for you outside, yeah? don't forget your stuff on the bus," kukui said abruptly and stood up from his seat, unsettled by his own behavior. you then nodded groggily, and wiped your eyes.

 

* * *

          

       late one night a few months after your departure, he makes his way to mount hokulani's observatory-it's peaceful, and quietly serene. the wind whistles shrilly; the bitterly cold air sharply cuts his face.

  
        "aren't you cold?" a familiar voice laughs. kukui feels an impulse to look around, but he knows that your voice is just in his head.

  
         but really, he doesn't mind the cold much. the observatory’s one of the only places he can get away for a little bit and just be with his thoughts.

  
         kukui looks off at the peak of mount lanakila, and a young woman runs past him, leans against the railing to get a better look at the view. her family smiles and laughs with her. the familiar bright grin she wears on her face brings him back to that time, and in an instant it is bright day, and you and him are standing by the railing, gazing at the highest mountain in alola.  
         

         as kukui pointed to the snow-covered top of mount lanakila and told you about the alolan legends of the mythical pokemon, he caught sight of your beautiful smiling face, flushed with excitement and wonder.

  
         at that very moment, kukui wished only that he could use his pokefinder, so that he could capture and remember clearly the sight of your genuinely happy face.

  
         almost to break the strange growing tension between the two of you, he nodded a tad awkwardly, and then rambled about his plans to build a pokemon league, here, in alola. with a champion that the whole world could recognize and admire! show the entire world- that alolan trainers were worth something, that they had something to offer to pokemon battling.

  
         kukui put his hands on his hips and grinned somewhat sheepishly. now that he said all of that out loud, it.....kinda sounded pretty dumb. you said nothing.

_  
......maybe it was one of those 'show me don't tell me' things molayne or burnet would sometimes talk to him about?_

  
         silence hung in the air for only a second, and kukui briefly thought he's said too much, but then you said quietly: "the first champion of the alola pokemon league....." you looked down briefly at the ground, but then gazed directly into his eyes. "i want to...no, i'm going to be that person." you smiled at the thought.

  
         taken aback at your strong conviction, his eyes widened and he lifted up his glasses to look at you. "you think so?"

  
         your smile grew even wider, and you looked off into that faraway distance where mount lanakila stands, proud and imposing. "....i think so."

  
         as kukui watched you, he became aware of something there that he knew shouldn't be, couldn't be; he put it out of his mind. he then placed a hand on top of your head, and ruffled your hair playfully. you scowled at him and he laughed. "woo! liking that confidence, cousin! haha, i'll hold you to that."

  
         "hey-" you grinned at him, and poked him in the chest. "i can't be the champion of a league that doesn't exist, so you have to keep your promises, too."

  
          it occurred to him that he's too happy to be the recipient of that smile, but he agreed and gave you his word nonetheless.

* * *

 

           later that same night, kukui is looking over the paperwork for the alolan pokemon league in his laboratory. the kahunas had warned him that there would be a lot of work involved in establishing a pokemon league in alola, you couldn't just snap your fingers and make it happen.

  
          but he had never imagined there would be so much rules and regulations involved, so MANY papers to fill out!

  
          "hey, I'm going to bed," his wife kisses him on the cheek. "don't stay up too late, okay?"

  
          he gives her the best smile he can manage, and says, "you got it, honey."

  
          a few hours later, his eyes begin to tire and wander. kukui picks up his pokedex, absentmindedly fidgets with it in his hands as he flips through the seemingly endless stack of paper that sits on his desk. he quickly glances through the pokedex's phone function to check if anyone's sent him any messages.

  
          really, it was just an excuse to not complete any more of these damn forms, but he needed a break. if he saw another "PLEASE SIGN HERE" dotted line on another piece of paper, kukui's pretty sure he'd strangle himself.

  
          as kukui scrolls through his contacts list absentmindedly, he sees your name, and stops. he hadn't heard from you ever since you went to kanto, and he was curious to hear how you were doing, because.....because he missed you.

_hey, what're you doing, man?_

          now that the thought is in his head, he can't help it, all.....

  
          ....all he can think about right now is hearing your voice, seeing your face.  
_  
don't call late at night and say something you'll regret, yeah?_

          kukui stares at the computer monitor in silence, silently rationalizes making the call to himself. it shouldn't be too late in kanto now, right? hell, it could be the middle of the day there now! you wouldn't be bothered to hear from an old friend.....

  
          almost mindlessly, his fingers move on the dial-pad of his pokedex, and he places it in front of his face. his heart beats loudly in his chest. what would he say when you picked up? would your voice sound any different? did you look the same?

  
          ....would you be happy to hear from him?

          kukui hears a brief click, and for a brief moment, his heart ceases to beat in his chest. a mechanical, tinny voice answers.

_we're sorry; you have reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service._

          your mother’s melancholy, knowing face briefly flashes into view in his head. “...everyone deals with their pain in their own way."

          the robotic voice continues: _if you feel you have reached this recording in error, please check the number and try your call again-_

          kukui turns off his pokedex, defeated, and hangs his head in his hands.

 

**Author's Note:**

> glossary of hawaiian/alolan phrases and words
> 
> alola: counterpart to aloha.  
> aloha can mean hello, goodbye, or even love.
> 
> e hui hou: goodbye.
> 
> shaka: a hand gesture where the thumb and the smallest finger are extended while the three middle fingers are curled into the palm of the hand. it can be interpreted as "hello," "goodbye," "have a nice day," "take it easy," "good luck," or, the most popular, "hang loose."


End file.
